The Other Choice
by Isabella248
Summary: Remember when Go Mi Nyu needed to room with one of her band mates while her aunt stayed with them? Well, this is the story of the choice she could've made. New characters to be introduced, new drama and hilarity, and maybe a different love story?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The characters, the places mentioned, even the original storyline that'll pop every once in a while belongs to the original creators and producers of _You're Beautiful_. I OWN NOTHING OF THEIRS!**

Prologue

In the time since she agreed to pose as her brother, Go Mi Nyu has found herself in some pretty dramatic situations in trying to maintain the facade. While she knew that it wasn't going to be easy pretending to be a boy, especially since she was living with the other members of the famous band A. , it still amazed her that she hadn't been caught after all this time. There were so many things she was discovering and, in her excitement, she almost slips, almost forgets that she's pretending to be a boy.

Whenever she thinks of all those times that she could've gotten caught and exposed...it scared her senseless. But no, with Manager Ma and Noona Wang's help and expertise, she was able to go about the facade comfortably without anyone the wiser.

Well, that wasn't true. Having overhead (and taped) a private conversation she was having with Noona Wang, Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi, the lead singer, discovered her. It was her worst fear realized, to think that she would be exposed before she could accomplish her goal of finding her mother, that she would ruin her beloved brother's dreams just as they were realized.

But amazingly, unbelievably, despite his initial desire of using the information to get her kicked out, Mi Nyu was confident that now—after suffering his abuse and challenging his belief on whether she can find her mother—she had his full trust, and he wouldn't tell. _Or rather_, she hastily reminded herself, _he said he wouldn't get involved_. But that was just as good…she guesses.

_It is_, she fiercely thinks. He could've easily handed that information to anyone and within a week—no, within an hour, she would be finished. That he hadn't done so when he said he would, that he refused to betray her even after she broke her promise to him, proved that her trust had not been misplaced, and that the ever-intimidating lead singer truly had a kind heart.

Still, just as it seems that there could be no more danger to her secret, another obstacle just had to appear! As if there was some force or deity or god in the world that's determined to have her exposed or watch her struggle to maintain her secret for his/her own amusement!

"What's wrong with you two guys sharing a room for a few days?" President Ahn asked, annoyed and exasperated. "Mi Nam, you pick. Who will you stay with?"

_This can't be happening_, she thought.

Considering all that had happened before, she supposed she shouldn't be _too _surprised, but this was really pushing boundaries. Sleep in the same room with one of the guys? And worse, she had to decide whom?

She may not have found her mother, but finding her Auntie Mi Ja (her father's sister) was good consolation. Still, Mi Nyu couldn't help panicking at what her aunt's extended stay was causing. Forfeiting her room? Okay, she was willing to do it; the last thing she wanted was to disrespect her and her brother's only living blood relative and it was only right that she take the room. But really? Staying with either Shin Woo, Jeremy or Tae Kyung? The god/force/deity must surely be enjoying this.

A quick look at Manager Ma's face told her that he could do nothing to help. And, all too reluctantly, she looked at her…_Go Mi Nam's _band mates. None of the expressions on their faces looked encouraging. Shin Woo looked indifferent, cold, unlike his normally kind self. Jeremy seemed nervous, as though at any moment he expected to get attacked. And Hwang Tae Kyung…well, he mouthed the words: "You're dead." And Mi Nyu knew that even his kindness has a limit.

She looked away, getting more nervous than she cared to admit even to herself. So who to pick?

"If I really must stay with someone…" she started, thinking fast, going over any other options that might be available in order to escape this. Again, she traded quick looks with Manager Ma. He looked helpless.

_Just pick already_, a voice in her head shouted. What's the worse that can happen? Exposure.

She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath and quickly pointed, praying that she made the right choice.

When she opened her eyes, she was half-relieved, half-panicked. She picked Shin Woo.

"Ah, marvelous!" President Ahn cried out. He clapped his hands in delight. He and Auntie Mi Ja seemed to be the only ones oblivious to the tense atmosphere. "I'm sure you two will have a good time! It'll be a nice time to do some bonding!"

Jeremy looked deliriously happy that he wasn't picked; Tae Kyung, Shin Woo and Manager Ma were shocked.

For a few seconds, Shin Woo stood there and stared at Mi Nam in disbelief, almost certain that his eyes and ears were deceiving him. But at President Ahn's words, he pushed back the shock and smiled a thousand-watt smile, saying, "Yes, I'm looking forward to it."

**A/N: Yes, this is a version of _You're Beautiful _episode 5. I just always wondered what could've happened if Mi Nyu picked Shin Woo when she needed to room with one of the guys. Some events are going to be changed, slightly (and even dramatically), and Auntie Mi Ja will have several roles to play.**

**Also, I going to be introducing another character that's going to cause a lot of drama and hilarity for A. . :) Look forward to it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING OF YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!**

Chapter 1

"I'm still surprised you didn't pick Hwang Tae Kyung," Manager Ma said for the fifteenth time. He was helping Mi Nyu pack her belongings and taking the opportunity to speak in private concerning the afternoon events before leaving for his own home.

"I am, too," she admitted.

"Why didn't you?" he asked. "I mean, I know Shin Woo is a good man and a lot friendlier than Tae Kyung, but…maybe Tae Kyung might've been…better, than the other two?" Those weren't the words he wanted to use; in fact, he didn't know what words to use at all for this. He was glad the young Miss wasn't sharing a room with Tae Kyung (for more reasons than just one) but at the same time he actually believed she would choose him, so having her choose Shin Woo was a great surprise. And judging from Tae Kyung's face, he wondered if the leader actually expected to be picked too.

Mi Nyu shrugged in response. "I think it's better this way," she said, hoping to sound more convincing than she actually felt.

In hindsight, she supposed that it would've been smarter to choose Tae Kyung-sshi, as neither Shin Woo-hyung (nor Jeremy) knew she was a girl, and certainly it would make things complicated now that she was sharing a room with him. But it would've been terrible for her to move into Tae Kyung-sshi's room just after she promised to leave him alone; after everything he's done (helping protect her secret, saving her life, and even pushing her to go meet her aunt) how could she break her promise by moving into his bedroom?

No, she couldn't choose him, and she knew that even if she did choose him, Tae Kyung-sshi wouldn't accept it without a fight.

That only left Jeremy and Shin Woo-hyung, both of whom didn't know her secret.

For a few seconds she debated on whether she could pick Jeremy, but now she was glad she didn't. He was cheerful and fun, and she did think they could be good friends, but he seemed so nervous at the idea of sharing a room with her, and so that left Shin Woo-hyung, who, since the very beginning, has been a brother-figure, an ally, a very kind person to her.

Well, except for earlier this afternoon, but Mi Nyu supposed he had reason to be upset. She abandoned him at the restaurant, on the day when he was supposed to confess to a girl he likes, who seems to have broken his heart by not showing. Even if she had a good reason for doing so, it was still awful of her to just leave him like she did. Sharing a room with him might give her the opportunity to properly apologize for her actions. She didn't like that she made him upset.

Manager Ma sighed. "Well, I guess this can work, too. No guarantee that Tae Kyung would've let you sleep in his room, even if you chose him. And I guess Shin Woo is the better choice of the other two." He hesitated before beckoning Mi Nyu to him. "Before I leave, Miss, I have to give you something."

She cocked her head in confusion as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a black rectangular object with two strange mini probes on one end and large buttons on both sides. It looked small enough to carry in a pocket or purse.

"I really don't think you'll need to use this. In fact I'm counting on it," Manager Ma said, nervously handing over the weapon. "But it'll be stupid not to give you some protection, just in case worse to comes worse."

"What is it?" she asked. She noticed the buttons on the side of the strange device.

"Don't!" Manager Ma said quickly, startling her. "Don't push the buttons, and don't touch those tiny probes either. Keep it as far from your body as possible when you push the buttons. It's just for protection, and it's really sensitive to the touch." He wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "It's just in case Shin Woo…forgets himself. You know, right?"

She didn't. She looked at him with wide, uncomprehending eyes.

"It's in case he…well, I don't think him the type…but still if he finds out…if he acts funny…I mean, he's a boy and it's natural…but if…"

Mi Nyu shook her head, still not understanding.

Manager Ma gulped. This was definitely one of the most awkward things that he could be saying or doing. It would be embarrassing in any given situation, but he wondered how to say it to someone who, not a month earlier, was going to be a nun. Miss Mi Nyu was naïve in some respects and he couldn't think of how to say what he needed to without it becoming improper.

"You probably won't need it but if Shin Woo starts to act…funny…or strange in any way…or if he starts looking at you in a way that makes you uncomfortable, use this…" He took the taser, pushed the side buttons and a loud zapping noise made them both jump with shock. "You understand?" he asked warily, handing it back to her. "Just press it to his body, push the button, and then zap! Okay?"

"Uh, okay. But do I really need it?"

"Yes, yes you do. Just keep it in your pocket, don't let him see it!"

Mi Nyu nodded and stuffed the strange object into the pocket of her sweatshirt, still confused as to why Manager Ma thinks she needs it.

Manager Ma, meanwhile, was wondering if he was being paranoid. What did he have to worry about? Shin Woo didn't even know Go Mi Nam was really a girl.

~O~O~O~

While Mi Nyu and Manager Ma were getting her things prepared and talking, Shin Woo was busy clearing a space in his room for Mi Nam's belongings. He thought about prepping the couch in his room, it certainly was comfortable enough to sleep on, but the ever-proper side of him thought it more gentlemanly to have Mi Nam have his bed while he staked out on the couch himself.

He felt better, a lot better than he did a few hours before. In the two hours since President Ahn left and Mi Nam went to pack his (_her_, he privately amended) belongings, he had time to think about everything that happened today. He wasn't as upset as before. Instead, he felt guilty.

He needed to apologize. He was rude earlier; he had reason to be upset, oh, yes he did—after all, he planned everything only to have outside forces interrupt what was supposed to be a romantic date. But he probably hurt Mi Nam's feelings. He (or rather _she_) did offer to go to the amusement park like planned; his hurt pride prevented him from taking the opportunity, and now he was regretting the decision. Maybe he can offer his bed as an apology?

He stopped what he was doing and looked around to make sure he was alone.

Mi Nam was going to be staying here, in his room. He wasn't sure what to think about it. Well, actually that wasn't true. He knew _what _to think and he knew how he felt.

He felt…triumphant. Hopeful.

She chose him. Not Tae Kyung, but him.

She probably had her reasons for not choosing Tae Kyung but he could wonder about that later. The point is Mi Nam chose to stay with _him_, in _his_ room, and not Tae Kyung's. He still couldn't believe it.

Earlier in the day, when President Ahn told her to pick who she wanted to room with, he was absolutely certain she would pick Tae Kyung; it was obvious that she preferred him above everyone else. She went to him for help on her autograph, and Tae Kyung comforted her when she learned about her mother. Good chance is that Tae Kyung knows the truth, and that Mi Nam told him herself. And as for today, she easily abandoned him to go with Tae Kyung, and spent the rest of the day in his company! She wasn't supposed to do that, though! She was supposed to be with him, at the amusement park, where he was planning on giving her the shoes he got her.

Shin Woo sighed. In the time it took for Mi Nam to decide, he had believed at the moment that she would choose Tae Kyung. After everything that happened, he couldn't dare to hope that this time she'd choose him. It made him angry and frustrated beyond belief; he wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. But he couldn't. He had to remain calm, lest he do or say something he'd regret. He couldn't muster the energy to fake happiness, though, and so used all his strength to appear indifferent, so that when she announced the inevitable, he could at least pretend it didn't matter.

But she chose him. She chose _him_!

It was enough to lift his bad mood, to know that she chose him. Maybe…maybe he still had a chance.

But he couldn't, mustn't, think of that. Not now anyway. He needed to prepare his apology.

When he thought things were ready, he took in a deep breath, put on a smile and left the room, ready to help carry her things inside. A thought occurred to him as Mi Nam appeared with blankets and bag in hand.

Maybe…just maybe, he could tell her the truth.

~O~O~O~

Tae Kyung was annoyed. Well, he felt annoyed most of the time for plenty of trivial reasons, but he was never so annoyed as to not be able to work. And he really needed to work. He needed to finish this composition that he had been working on for a while, a song he knows that he can finish before the sixth album releases if he just concentrates. But he couldn't concentrate!

He gritted his teeth in frustration. What was wrong with him? Was it because of the long walk this afternoon? Did he tire himself out? Or was this a side effect from the shrimp he accidentally ate? He couldn't remember that happening before. He rubbed the side of his temples and lead back against his chair, closing his eyes to the bright lights of his room, trying to clear his head. What on earth is wrong with him?

He thought back to when he ate the shrimp. He couldn't breathe, or see properly, but that was the usual effects and it seemed to have cleared up when he went outside and started walking, Go Mi Nam following all the while.

Go Mi Nam.

Tae Kyung groaned. He wondered if this headache (at least that's what it felt like) was Mi Nam's fault. He wouldn't be surprised. Trouble seems to follow that person wherever she goes. But he couldn't, for the life of him, think of what that person has done now. She didn't do anything wrong, from what he can remember of today's events. And this headache didn't start until…until…

His eyes opened. The headache started a while ago, when President Ahn was still here and had told Mi Nam to choose who to room with while her Aunt stayed here. The idea didn't appeal to him as soon as he heard it. What if she chooses him? Actually, there wouldn't be a "_what if_…" because it was a guarantee that she'd choose him.

He didn't like the idea of having her in his room, his sanctuary, which was spotlessly clean and would certainly become a pig sty within minutes of her arrival should she chose him. But she didn't have any other choice. On the one hand, he knew her secret, so it would be reasonable that she choose him rather than two guys who still believe her to be male. On the other hand…well, he couldn't share his room with her! She's a girl! He'd as soon as room with Jeremy than her!

In the seconds it took for her to decide, he already felt, already _knew_ that she would choose him, and he had been preparing to fight tooth and nail against the decision when she pointed, not at him, but at Shin Woo.

He blinked several times to see if he was hallucinating. He wasn't. She didn't choose him. She chose Shin Woo.

And then there came the headache. Why, though? Did he eat something bad afterward? He couldn't remember eating anything after that incident. So it had to be the incident itself, it had to be. But that made no sense, either. Why would he get a headache just from that?

He shook his head, trying to see if he could shake it off, but it only made him dizzy.

He really did believe she would choose him. And that she hadn't was something of a relief. But still, Shin Woo? He didn't know her secret, and how was she expected to hide it from him? Jeremy was as oblivious as he was cheerful, so he wouldn't know Mi Nam was a girl no matter how many clues were given to him. Shin Woo was a different matter altogether. He was more intelligent, more perceptive, and surely he must realize something is amiss with Mi Nam. She wouldn't be able to protect her secret for long. And this time no one would be there to help her...

Wait, what in the world is he thinking? Acting like he cares whether she's exposed or not. He sneered. He promised himself, and even told her, that he wouldn't get involved. Whether she's exposed or not is not any of his concern. It doesn't matter to him.

Tae Kyung repeated that to himself a thousand times but the headache wouldn't give away, and he was getting restless. Maybe a walk will help? Yeah, it probably will. A nice, _long_ walk that he could use to think over the composition.

He got up, put on some shoes and a nice hoodie, and opened his door a few inches before he heard voices in the hallway. He froze. He recognized those voices.

"Need any help?"

"Yes, thank you hyung-nim," another said, a little breathless.

He froze, thinking maybe he should close the door, but curiosity silenced that decision and so he stood there, eavesdropping.

"I hope you aunt will enjoy her stay," Shin Woo said reassuringly.

"I hope she does, too," Mi Nam replied. "I don't know how long she'll be here but I'll treasure every moment I can."

"Is this everything?"

"Yes, I made sure." There was a pause before Mi Nam said, a little hesitantly, "Thank you, for allowing me to stay in your room. I promise, I'll try not being a bother."

"Don't worry about it. It's my pleasure."

Halfway through this conversation, Tae Kyung couldn't resist peeking out and watching them. Shin Woo was carrying some blankets and a pillow while Mi Nam carried a suitcase. They both disappeared, smiling, into the room.

He had no idea why but the headache got worse. He shut the door and practically stomped toward his bed, his previous plans forgotten. What was he thinking, deciding out of nowhere to walk alone at night? He can do that in the morning, when he knows exactly where he's going. He took off his shoes and headed off to change into his pajamas. He felt tired, he wanted to sleep, and he hopes that sleeping will make the headache go away and help him forget about his previous thoughts.

How stupid he felt, worrying about her. Well, that's over and done with! He was determined not to worry about her. If she got exposed…well, then she'll finally be gone, just like it should've happened a long time ago. Good riddance.

Freshly showered and changed, he crawled into bed, stared up at the ceiling and waited for sleep to claim him, repeating over and over not to worry. He wasn't going to worry about her. He refused to worry, and he was determined to not think about her.

But many hours later, when he finally closed his eyes, the last thing that came to mind was Mi Nam smiling up at Shin Woo.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING OF YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!**

Chapter 2

Mi Nyu was starting to regret her decision. _Maybe I should've picked Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi_, she thought almost as soon as she saw Shin Woo-hyung.

The full reality that she was going to be staying with Shin Woo-hyung didn't hit her until she found him waiting for her in the hallway. He smiled and, nodding towards the stuff she was carrying, said, "Need any help?"

"Yes, thank you hyung-nim," she said, her voice coming out breathlessly from the effort of carrying her luggage and blankets. She didn't realize her stuff was so heavy.

Shin Woo-hyung relieved her of the thick blankets and pillow and then, both of them smiling and making small talk, they entered his room. Mi Nyu was relieved that the cold, unfriendly mood he had been in earlier was gone and he was back to his kind self. But that only served to remind her that she needed to apologize for her abandonment. _I'll do it tonight_, she vowed.

She would've done so right away, but Shin Woo-hyung offering his bed to her blew that idea out of her head. "I-I-I can't do that," she said, feeling her cheeks burning. "This is your room."

"And you're my guest," he said amiably. "You can take the bed and I'll camp out on the couch."

She shook her head vehemently. "No, this is your room," she said. "I don't want you giving up your bed. _I'll_ sleep on the couch." To prove her stubbornness, she settled her bags on the couch, sat down and crossed her arms.

Shin Woo-hyung shook his head. "I can't let you sleep on the couch," he said. "That'd be poor of me."

"It's enough that you offered," she replied. "But I'm fine sleeping here."

Shin Woo-hyung looked like he wanted to argue with her, but then he seemed to think better of it and instead said, "If you're sure."

She let out an inward sigh of relief. To move into a guy's room was bad enough but the idea of sleeping in a guy's bed, especially Shin Woo-hyung's…a strange, unknown fluttery feeling emerged in her stomach at the thought. It felt weird. The entire situation was weird.

And wrong.

She chose to stay in his room, but that didn't mean she could just take his bed. That would make her feel worse, especially since Shin Woo-hyung seems to have forgiven her. His being friendly enough to offer the bed proves he bore her no ill will…and that was making her feel guiltier. _He's so kind_, she thought, _even though I don't deserve it_.

She leaned back in the couch and watched as he gathered some extra blankets from the closet. Maybe he gets extra cold at night? Although the room felt warm enough, so she couldn't understand why he needed them.

She yawned suddenly. She felt tired. She was nearly opening her briefcase when her senses came back to her. No, she couldn't open it, at least not now.

She groaned. Did she choose wrong? With Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi, it probably wouldn't feel awkward. He already knew she was a girl, so she had nothing to hide from him. But she'd have to be careful around Shin Woo-hyung. She couldn't risk him finding out. How to get her things without raising suspicion?

She sighed. It was going to be a long night.

Mi Nyu leaned against the couch, trying to push back the gloomy thoughts, and then she found herself snuggling against the very comfortable cushions.

"This couch is really comfortable," she said. It felt almost as nice as her bed. Shin Woo-hyung looked up at her, concerned.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep in the bed? I really don't mind," he offered again.

She shook her head. "No, this is your room. I don't want you giving up your bed. I'm sure I can manage, and I really do like the couch," she added, hoping to appease him. He looked less worried and even managed a smile.

"Well, if you ever want to change your mind, just let me know," he said. There was a pause before he said, "I'm going to shower. Just make yourself comfortable." He left for the bathroom and then she was alone.

She took this opportunity to look around, having never been in Shin Woo's room before. The room was decorated in almost the same fashion as Tae Kyung-sshi, except for a few things. Whereas everything in Tae Kyung-sshi's room was white, black or silver, expensive-looking and very formal and organized, Shin Woo-hyung's room was very…comfortable, and warm, with nice red, brown, yellow and green colors. There were a few pictures of himself (promotional photos by the looks of it), like the ones in Tae Kyung sshi's room, but there were also a few paintings of pretty, colorful flowers, of the Korean countryside and of animals hanging on the walls. The shelves were filled with books, DVDs and music compact discs alongside his music awards. A nice wooden desk with a comfortable chair was settled by the window, which overlook the pretty trees and yard outside; the bed was covered with thick quilts of bright colors, and candles placed in a few choice spots filled the room with a very warm scent, something like vanilla.

Mi Nyu wasn't sure if it was the paintings, the colors or the candles, a combination of the three or all of them together, but she found herself beginning to relax. All her anxiety, her stress, her worries were disappearing as she breathed in the mouthwatering aroma.

She closed her eyes, leaned against the couch and spent the next minutes thinking of nothing but the scent and warmth that she felt being in the room. So deep was she in her thoughts that she didn't realize Shin Woo had returned, freshly showered and dressed, until he called her name.

"Go Mi Nam," he called out. He smiled when her eyes flew open in shock. She must've jumped at least a foot in the air, she was so startled. "Sorry, I thought you heard me," he apologized.

"No, it's ok, you didn't mean it," she said, rubbing her chest. She smiled at him and said, "I was admiring your room. It's very comfortable. And it smells nice." She realized a little late that that wasn't something a guy would say to another guy, but Shin Woo-hyung just laughed.

"Thanks," he said, giving her his one-thousand-watt smile. "I always believed that scented candles should be a necessity in a room. Helps relieve stress and believe me, it can get pretty stressful around here." At Mi Nam's nod of agreement, he changed subjects. "Bathroom's through there, if you need it."

"Oh. Thank you," she replied, the awkwardness returning with a vengeance. She opened her suitcase carefully, trying to get out everything she needed without Shin Woo seeing what was inside. There were several things she needed to gather that she knew, for a fact, definitely wouldn't belong to a guy. Carefully, wary of Shin Woo-hyung's presence, she gathered those objects and hid them between the folds of her pajamas, trying to make it look as inconspicuous as possible. At one point Shin Woo-hyung turned his back to her to gather some papers from his desk. She took his opportunity to get all the other supplies and then rushed into the bathroom.

Shin Woo smiled to himself as he heard a tiny click from behind. He was kind of sad that Mi Nam wasn't as comfortable around him as he hoped, but he reminded himself that he was going to change that…tonight.

~O~O~O~

Mi Nyu felt her worries disappear almost as soon as she locked the door and looked around.

The bathroom looked comfortable too: the tiles were painted a pretty dark red; the porcelain toilet was a bright white color in contrast to its surroundings; and several potted plants hung from the ceiling or were settled on the sink counter. The towels were red or white, stacked neatly in a wooden cupboard, and there were several candles here too, giving off the vanilla-y scent. There was a large, square tub not unlike that of a Jacuzzi nestled in the corner, scented candles settled around it so that the aroma was strongest there. Ivy plants decorated part of the wall and even fell like long braids from the ceiling, acting like a curtain around the tub.

Opposite the tub, again nestled in the corner, was a shower stall, made from the red tiles and the door made of clear glass.

Mi Nyu took in all this and smiled. "Shin Woo-hyung has an amazing bathroom, too." And then she smelled the candles.

The aroma was as strong and as comforting here as it was in the room, so powerful that for a moment Mi Nyu forgot where she was and why. When she opened her eyes to again admire the bathroom (when did she close them?), she remembered. She shook her head, trying to think clearly, praying that the candles wouldn't make her so relaxed that she became reckless. She couldn't afford mistakes, not now.

She placed her belongings on the counter, filled the tub with warm water and made sure for the second, third, fourth time that the door was locked before undressing. She filled the tub with some bubble bath concoction so that within a few short minutes it was filled with nice foamy bubbles, and then she stepped in.

For the third time, her mind became clear of everything save the beautiful aroma filling her senses; it was blissful oblivion, a peaceful spell that she succumbed to for so long that she didn't know how long she actually stayed there before she started washing her hair and the rest of her body.

_This is nice_, she thought. Living in the orphanage and convent had been comfortable enough, and since living here she began experiencing things she never had before, like a bubble bath. But she never experienced a bath quite like this. Sure, there was that nice soaking she had that one time she persuaded Tae Kyung to trust her, but this was different. The candles, the decorations, the warm water, the bubbles—everything about this bath made her want to stay here forever; the bubbles clung to her skin, as weightless as air, the water was as warm as any blanket or sweater, and the scent in the air made her dizzy with happiness. Yes, she could stay here forever.

"Go Mi Nam!"

She clapped her hands to stop from screaming, and then she recognized the voice.

"Go Mi Nam!" There was light knocking on the door, but because of the silence it sounded louder, so loud that she was surprised she didn't hear it before. "Are you okay in there?"

"Y-y-yes," she called back. She looked around herself for a towel, trying to remember if she locked the door. How long had she been in here? "I'll be right out!"

"Okay, just wondering," came his reply.

With great speed, trying desperately not to be drawn in by the scented candles again, she washed out the shampoo and conditioner from her hair, scrubbed her body with the apple-scented body wash Noona Wang bought her, and then leapt out from tub, grabbing a white towel and wrapping it tightly around her body. While the water drained and the bubbles disappeared, she dried herself off and quickly dressed, taking time wrap her chest securely before exiting the bathroom, a towel in hand to dry her wet hair.

Shin Woo-hyung, who was sitting comfortably in a recliner near the couch, looked up from the book he was reading. "Oh, you're finally out," he said. He placed the book back on the shelf. "You were in there so long, I worried something happened."

"I got distracted, lost track of time," she replied honestly. She hesitated before adding, "I was also admiring your bathroom. It's so…unique."

Shin Woo-hyung smiled. "Like I said, things can get pretty stressful around here, so it helps to have scented candles _and_ a nice tub to soak in." He got up and nodded towards the bed. "You sure you don't want to take it? I won't get mad if you say yes, you know."

She shook her head, trying to be careful not to drip any water on his carpet. "I'm fine on the couch, thank you."

He looked hesitant but finally headed off for bed. Mi Nyu distracted herself with drying her hair before she remembered she still had something to do. How to do it though?

"Uh, Shin Woo-hyung?" He turned towards her, saw her shifting her weight from one foot to another, a guilty expression on her face. Maybe she was going to say yes to the bed? He half-believed that and so was half-shocked by her next words. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?" But as soon as he said the words, he knew the answer.

Mi Nyu fidgeted, fighting the urge to look away from him. "For this afternoon. Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi really needed help, but I shouldn't have left you at the restaurant by yourself. It was rude, and maybe we could've still have fun, even after what the mystery girl did. I'm sorry if I ruined things for you." She gave a small bow to show her sincerity and waited. She expected him to, soon or later (more preferably sooner) start yelling at her, accusing her of ruining his day, and proclaiming that he regrets choosing her to come in the first place. And she would let him; he wouldn't be wrong. She'd deserve nothing less.

But after a few minutes of staring at each other, Shin Woo-hyung did and said the last thing she expected him to: "I think, Go Mi Nam, I can forgive you, if you can perhaps forgive me. For earlier," he added when he saw her confusion. "I was upset, yes, but I had no reason to be mean. And I was mean," he said when she opened her mouth to protest. "I won't deny it and you shouldn't either. So, am I forgiven?"

Mi Nyu felt a smile growing on her face. "Forgiven."

Feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, she turned back and started getting the couch ready for bed. It was late, and they had rehearsals tomorrow, if she remembered correctly.

"What was wrong with Hwang Tae Kyung?" Shin Woo-hyung asked suddenly.

She turned back, surprised. "Huh?"

Shin Woo was cursing his cowardice; that wasn't what he wanted to talk about.

He wanted to talked to her, he intended to let her know that he knew, but at the same time he wanted her to trust him enough to admit it without being forced into it; problem was, he had no idea how to do it. Searching for an opening, he said the first thing that popped into his head, and he was regretting bringing up the subject.

Forcing himself to remain calm, he said, "You said Tae Kyung wasn't feeling well, and that's why you left. What happened, do you know?" He hoped she didn't notice the hint of bitterness in his tone at his words.

She didn't. "Oh. Well, Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi said he accidentally ate some shrimp. He wasn't feeling well and needed air, and I followed him to make sure nothing bad happened."

Shin Woo nodded, and then, before he could stop himself, he said, "You two seem awfully close now."

"What?"

He shrugged. "Before, you two—or rather, Tae Kyung—didn't seem to be getting along. But things seem okay now. How that happened?"

Mi Nyu was trying not to fidget. A lie, something quick and plausible, was what she needed, but nothing came to mind. She looked around at the room, hoping to find inspiration from the paintings, books, and furniture. Shin Woo sighed and went to sit beside her on the couch. She involuntarily flinched at the proximity. It made him feel more depressed.

He looked straight ahead, struggled to keep his voice steady and face indifferent. "Never mind. You don't have to say. Whatever happened is, of course, between you and Tae Kyung. I just…I really hope that you can at least _talk_ to me, that you come to me when you need help. You don't have to hide or pretend. It's okay to ask for help when you really need it. And I kind of prefer that you don't lie about it, either. I just…I really hope that you can trust me, just like you trust Tae Kyung."

So much for indifference: he sounded so pathetic and hurt. It was so stupid. This entire conversation, his plans to tell her that he knows, his earlier plans at the restaurant: all of it was so dumb. Moronic. Pitiful. What's worse, what little consolation he had from his apology and her forgiveness evaporated. Why didn't he just let things alone?

At his words, Mi Nyu looked down and stared at the carpet floor. She felt horrible, guilty, and dumb; there was a pain in her stomach and chest that was more acute than anything she felt, not as bad as when she discovered that her mother was dead but close to it.

She felt guilty before for all the lies she told since taking over as her brother; she was always able to push it back, with the justification that she was helping her brother in realizing his dream. But it was hard to do so right now with Shin Woo-hyung looking so dejected.

Shin Woo shook his head, cleared his throat and gave her a shaky smile. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I just wanted to let you know you can trust me."

He got up to go to bed, determined not to speak another word or to look at her for the rest of the night, regretting more than ever that he even instigated the conversation, when suddenly a hand grabbed him from behind.

Startled, he turned around, first staring at the hand gripping his shirt and then at the now-trembling figure on his couch. Go Mi Nam wasn't looking at him. Instead she was staring hard at the floor, biting her lower lip, her grip tightening with tension.

"Go Mi Nam, what—?"

"Mi Nyu. My name," she said, hesitating only long enough to fight back the feeling of sickness before continuing, "is Go Mi Nyu. And I'm…I'm…I'm a girl."

There was a pause at this declaration, a deep, heavy silence that stretched into something longer than time, she felt.

She couldn't, for the life of her, understand what happened. She didn't know why, out of nowhere, she reached out to stop him, and she didn't know what prompted her to tell him her secret, a secret she knew could jeopardize her brother's dream if the wrong ears heard it.

What she did know was this: whether it was a reckless impulsive or something else entirely that made her hand reach out to him, she was going to do something she never thought she would do, something that she never did even with Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi until after the fact: she was going to trust Shin Woo-hyung, completely, full, wholeheartedly. Whatever came from this momentous decision, she would face it; she won't run away, she'll stay and embrace the consequences, as she knew she should.

But when so much time passed that she felt this confidence begin to waver, she started babbling incoherently—a habit she was prone to do since early childhood—not even realizing what she was saying, just trying to fill the tense silence, try to get him to say something, _anything_, she didn't care what so long as he _spoke_.

"I know this is a shock, believe me you're not the first person, but please, please, please hear me out before you decide to do anything. I didn't mean to lie, to you, to Jeremy, to anyone and everyone, and if I had a choice, I wouldn't be doing this, I mean I didn't want to do this in the first place, but I had a good reason, you have to understand and believe that, I have a very good reason for being here, and I swear that as soon as everything's done I'll leave and you never need to hear from me again. I just ask that you hear me out, please, before getting angry, and I know you have every right to be angry, but I'll do what I can to earn your forgiveness for this, and I pray that you please, please, please not tell anyone, not now, or ever. I'll leave quietly, I swear I will—"

"Go Mi Nam."

He spoke! That gave her such relief, but the feeling was only temporary. Now that he spoke, the words, the anger, will come, and she felt very, very scared.

"Please Shin Woo-hyung, please don't be angry," she started pleading, still staring at the floor, as though if she looked hard enough and long enough, a hole would appear that she could jump through so as to escape this. "I know you and everyone else has every right to be, but please, please hear me out—"

"Mi Nam."

"It wasn't my idea, this entire plan was ridiculous from the start, I know it was and I was dumb enough to actually agree with it, but it was for a very, very, very good reason, I swear it was, and I had to lie, I didn't like lying to you and everyone else but I had to, I had to—"

"Go Mi Nyu!"

For some reason, the sound of her name—her real name—coming from Shin Woo-hyung froze her vocal cords so that she couldn't speak, for which she was immensely thankful because babbling as she did made her dizzy with breathlessness. But she still didn't look up. He didn't sound angry—which was surprising; after all Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi was plenty angry and shocked when he found out—but she still couldn't look up, fearing that instead of anger, Shin Woo-hyung would be sad, which was almost as bad. Would he be upset that she misled him? Or disappointed by her lies and his failure to see through them? Or would he feel betrayed by her lack of trust in his character?

Or was he still in too much shock to feel anything else, even the righteous anger she knew must be brewing behind the calm façade?

"Go Mi Nyu, look at me."

She couldn't. She was using her strength to fight back impending tears. She didn't like when people were angry or hateful towards her; it made her feel so awful because she knew that they usually had a good reason. Tae Kyung-sshi was annoyed by her mere presence; considering their past encounters, she couldn't blame him. Now on somewhat good terms, she was becoming accustomed to his trademark snarl, but this was different; Mi Nyu didn't think she could handle having Shin Woo-hyung angry, even if he had every reason to be…he was a friend, he's been kind to her since day one, she didn't want to lose his good opinion of her, to lose the friendship, she didn't want that…

Two fingers lifted her chin up so that her eyes met Shin Woo-hyung's. For a moment, neither said a word. She resisted the urge to look away; if he got angry, she deserved it, but she was so scared, so, so scared of him being mad at her…

He smiled. "So, your name is Go Mi Nyu. It's nice to know."

She blinked, and then blinked again. Did she hear that right? That couldn't possibly be right. Maybe her fear was so great it was causing hallucinations? Or while babbling, she fainted from lack of air and this was all a dream?

He leaned in close suddenly. "Do you mind if I confess something myself?"

Still numb with disbelief, she nodded.

His eyes and smile were now mischievous, but there was something like reluctance in his voice as he whispered, "I knew all along. About you, I mean."

Pause.

A brief thought crossed Mi Nyu's mind that she must look ridiculous, with her mouth opened wide and her eyes bugging out, but the notion evaporated as quickly as smoke, lost among a million other thoughts and sensations that turned around and around in her mind.

Now she was sure she was dreaming, or hallucinating, or whatever other term that could be used to describe the surreal situation before her.

He knew?! How could Shin Woo-hyung know all this time? Did she slip somewhere, make a mistake? Aargh, what a stupid question! Of course she made a mistake—she made plenty. But when? How? Did he overhear a conversation? Did he guess? Was her acting like a male so fake that he saw it for the truth it really was? Then again, that must mean no one else bought it…but wait, did no one else guess or realize, or did they, like Shin Woo-hyung, decide to keep quiet until the right (or wrong) moment?

All this flashed in her mind within the space of two seconds, or maybe two hours, she wasn't sure. It was hard to keep track of time when it seemed like reality was bursting at the seams.

While she was trying to decide whether this was actually a fictional fantasy or something else, Shin Woo-hyung continued staring at her, getting more and more concerned by the growing panic that replaced the shock and disbelief in her eyes moments earlier. "Go Mi Nyu, is something wrong?" A second later, he thought he couldn't have asked a more stupid question.

She blinked, breaking eye contact, and then the dam burst. This was no hallucination, no dream, no fantasy concocted by her befuddled mind. He knew.

"H-h-h-how?" She wanted to say more but growing horror and fear was making it impossible.

It was only one word but Shin Woo-hyung knew instantly what she meant. "That night you got drunk," he answered. "Jeremy carried Hwang Tae Kyung, and I carried you. And while I was doing that, I…I noticed that you were…different, from what a guy should be." He hoped that she understood because he really didn't want to give details. When her cheeks grew as red as cherries, he was sure she got it.

_So, he knew for that long_, Mi Nyu thought. She thought back to that night and realized that it must've happened while she was unconscious. If it were anyone else she would've worried, but she had great faith in him and his gentlemanly manners.

She shook her head and tried focusing on the present issue. "But…but you never said…you never…I mean, all this time—"

He shrugged. "I figured you had a reason for hiding it, and it's clear you didn't want anyone to know, so of course I never said anything."

The most surprising thing then happened: she started crying. Ever aware of the other occupants in the house, she tried stifling the noise, but there was no stopping the tears. They came so suddenly it was as big a shock to her as Shin Woo-hyung.

"Mi Nyu, what's wrong? Are you hurt somewhere? Did I say something wrong? Listen, I promise I won't say anything, I never planned on it."

More tears flooded her eyes. She covered her face and mouth so that she didn't make so much noise, she didn't want anyone to wake up and come investigate. She just wished she could stop crying but it seemed beyond her control. The tears blurred her vision of everything but Shin Woo-hyung's concerned face.

_He's so kind_, she thought. _So, so kind. More than I deserved._

All this time, he knew about her. She thought back to all the lies she told him; she remembered all those times he helped and comforted her, talked to her, listened to her; and through it all, he knew her secret, kept it, without even being told to do so, without even knowing _why_. The guilt she felt for lying to him all this time burst out in great floods, but it clashed with the happiness that bubbled warmly in her chest at the realization that he had known and accepted her. These torrent of emotions, coupled with the memories of all the kindness he has shown and done for her in the past weeks, caused the tears, she knew it.

She never, in all her life, met anyone as kind or as understanding as Shin Woo-hyung—she was right; he did remind her of her beloved brother, but also of the Mother Superior.

She thought of all the friends she made and had in the past and realized that she couldn't think of one who she felt she could trust now more than she now trusts Shin Woo-hyung. At this moment, she thought him and Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi to be the best people she could've ever known. It made her smile and laugh to think of how lucky she was to find and meet them.

_What is wrong with her? She's crying a river and laughing like there's no tomorrow. Should I call a doctor to evaluate her state of mind?_ Shin Woo was more than a bit startled by her tears, scared witless at the idea that he said something to hurt her enough to warrant crying, but when she smiled and laughed he felt those worries disappear, not completely because she was still crying but at least he didn't hurt her.

Watching her laugh and cry, it was the strangest thing he ever seen. And he liked it. He felt his fondness for her growing. He never met a girl like her; she was weird, yes, but it was a refreshing change from the fangirls, the sophisticated socialites, and the superficial celebrity beauties that surrounded him nearly every day since their debut.

Sitting here, watching her like this, gave him a nice feeling.

It took a few minutes before Mi Nyu could regain enough control to stop crying and laughing. She felt so…happy…and light, like she could fly. A few tears slipped out but she wiped them away easily. She felt calmer, better. A strange wave of emotions was still churning in her stomach but it wasn't unpleasant; in fact, it brightened her mood.

Then she saw Shin Woo-hyung eyeing her with a strange mixture of concern and amusement. She supposed that her outburst of tears and eventual laughter must've been the strangest thing to occur.

"Sorry," she said, smiling, still wiping her eyes. "Sorry. I don't know what came over me. The tears—they just started coming."

"Are you okay? You're not in any pain?" When she shook her head he sighed in relief. "That's good. I was scared I hurt you."

"You didn't," she assured him. "I'm just…so happy. And relieved. It's nice to know that I can trust you."

A few minutes of silence passed, Mi Nyu still cleaning her face and Shin Woo thinking over everything that happened in the past two hours. Finally, she said, "I'm sorry again, for lying. I assure you I have a reason."

Shin Woo thought it over before replying, "I think I can forgive you, but…"

She looked up, a new panic growing. "But?"

He hesitated, wondering if he dared, but her proclamation of trust gave him the courage to say, "I want to know if you can tell me…everything. About how all this happened."

Pause. They looked at each other. Her dark brown eyes searched his, looking for something, he didn't know what, but he refused to look away. This was the second time he noticed how long her eyelashes were.

What she was looking for, she found, because she suddenly smiled and said, "Okay. What do you want to know?"

He inwardly sighed with relief. "Let's start at the beginning, shall we?"

She fidgeted. "It's a long story."

"And we have plenty of time."

**A/N: Updated faster than I thought. Hope this is satisfying. Can't say when the next update is, but I promise not to forget to do so soon. Reviews always welcome. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISLCAIMER: I OWN NOTHING OF YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!**

Chapter 3

Before she could start her story, Shin Woo suggested they get comfortable, to set the "mood for story time," as he said it. The couch was too small to fit both and neither, for obvious reasons, wanted to use the bed, so they spent a few minutes laying blankets and pillows on the floor near the large window. The desk was moved so that they had room to stretch their legs and lie down. The huge comforters he retrieved from the closet earlier (originally meant for her, he admitted, in hopes of making the couch more comfortable) was used as padding so they need not lie on the hard floor. When Mi Nyu settled beneath her own blanket, propped up by large, soft pillows, she spent a few minutes gazing out the window, admiring the night sky.

She was overjoyed when Shin Woo suggested the spot: One of her biggest regrets when moving from the convent to the dorm was the lack of stars, due to the city lights dimming their illumination. It had been a regular pastime of hers to always look out at the sky before going to sleep, to ensure that the day, no matter how bad it was, could still end peacefully. With everything that's been happening, she was too tired to continue the habit, but now…now seeing the sky as it was—brimming with constellations and a full, silvery moon—it conjured up so many memories, both joyful and sad, of her childhood and adolescence, and it gave her peace, made her feel better, less nervous, about the prospect before her.

She trusts Shin Woo, she truly does, but what to say to him?

The truth, of course; she felt guilty for considering otherwise. She just hoped that when she revealed her many lies, he wouldn't be angry and start to lose faith in her.

"So, where do you want me to start?" she asked when she felt she couldn't delay any longer.

Shin Woo scratched his head, thinking. So many questions filled his mind, too many for him to know which to choose first, and some were not even related to her secret. Many of the questions he wanted—_needed_—answers to were about her specifically, and about her relationship with Hwang Tae Kyung; _those can wait_, he reluctantly decided. Now that he knew he had her trust, it seemed like he had all the time in the world to get to know Go Mi Nam—or rather, Go Mi Nyu.

Smiling widely now, he said, "Why not start at the beginning, the very beginning, how, when and why you started impersonating your brother."

Mi Nyu spent a few minutes thinking before saying, "Well, I think it all started when I met Manager Ma for the first time. He was the one who came up with the idea, after all. He came to the convent to see me—"

"Convent?" He stared at her, incredulous. "You were a nun?"

Mi Nyu blushed. "Not exactly. I was training to be a nun. In fact, I was supposed to go to Rome to take my Final Vows, but a few days before I had to leave, Manager Ma came and found me."

Shin Woo stared at her, eyebrows furrowed, thinking hard. Something—he couldn't say what exactly—was tingling at the back of his mind, a sensation as persistent as a hateful song repeating in his head much against his will and wanting, when he tried imagining My Nyu dressed up in a nun's habit. He didn't find the image so shocking; she certainly had the kind and patient temperament for such a lifestyle. But there was something there, something he couldn't name…a memory. Vague, fuzzy, almost dream-like in substance and no matter his trying he couldn't remember it completely.

He shook off this feeling when he realized Mi Nyu was talking again. He pushed the thought aside as he listened to her describe her first encounter with Manager Ma. He smiled when she explained, annoyance clear in every syllable, that when she went to pick up her place ticket of how Manager Ma trailed after her and then halted his car in front of her bike, nearly causing a collision; he laughed out loud when she admitted, with much blushing and quick defense, that she kicked and hit the man after mistaking him for a creep.

"And then I drove away, I left him there, and I never did apologize for that," she said, shameful and embarrassed for her behavior (really, what was she thinking? Certainly wasn't proper nun behavior), but it was hard not to smile with Shin Woo laughing. "And Manager Ma followed me. I didn't stop, at least, not until he called out that my brother needed me."

"What happened to your brother, by the way?" Shin Woo asked, still snickering.

"Manager Ma told me that he told my brother to get some surgery, so that he would look his best when he joined A. ," Mi Nyu explained, trying to remember all the details she'd been told on the incident. "But that doctor messed up and my brother couldn't sleep 'cause something weird was happening to his eyelids."

Shin Woo nodded in response, having a faint idea of what happened—this wouldn't be the first time he heard of a plastic surgeon messing up on a simple procedure like this. And knowing how it might look, he was trying to decide if it would be appropriate to laugh. Mi Nyu didn't notice this and continued saying, "Well, anyway, my brother needed to get this fixed but they couldn't risk anyone finding out, so he had to go the States. But my brother still needed to sign the contract—"

"So…Manager Ma asked you to dress up as your brother?" Suddenly, that tingling sensation that had been patiently gnawing at the back of his mind throughout the conversation strengthened until its pounding resonated with as much force as an elephant stampede; and then the noise erupted into something powerful, as a half-forgotten memory burst into the forefront of his mind. His eyes widened with realization.

"I remember…there was a nun, standing outside the building with all the other fangirls, that day we met Go Mi Nam for the first time. Was…was that you?" He took her silence and blushing as confirmation. "And you were the one we heard singing that day?"

_Why is it so hot in this room?_ Mi Nyu couldn't understand why the room suddenly felt warm, and she also couldn't understand why she was having a hard time looking at Shin Woo. Why were her cheeks burning? Why was she feeling nervous? And why was her heart starting to beat loudly?

Realizing that Shin Woo was waiting for a response, she forced back the lump that mysteriously appeared in her throat and said, her voice suddenly shy, "Yes. I…I wanted to help my brother. And Manager Ma said the only way I could is if I signed the papers for Mi Nam. But—" She struggled not to fidget under Shin Woo's intense gaze (why was this making her feel uncomfortable?), "—but I didn't expect to sing in front of you. I was so scared, I actually felt faint afterwards."

"I remember. You looked petrified, like at any moment, you expected us to attack you or something," Shin Woo said, smiling as he thought back to that day in the studio, when he and the others thought they were meeting the newest member Go Mi Nam, and hearing that legendary "angel's voice" for the first time. He had been impressed, shocked and enchanted beyond measure, and now realizing that it was her voice he heard that day, it made his heart beat faster, louder, accompanied with a fluttery feeling in his stomach similar to what he used to experience when A. first performed. He used all his self-restraint to control those wild sensations. "So what happened next? If you were only supposed to sign the papers and you were to leave for Rome—"

She sighed. "Well, I thought I was only going to dress up as Mi Nam for the day, but Manager Ma said he needed me to pretend to be my brother until he recovered from surgery. It was going to take at least a month, or so he says. Could be longer. And I really didn't want to do it. I was determined to be a nun."

_Why?_ He almost asked it out loud, but realizing it was too personal a question to ask at the moment, instead said, "So what made you change your mind?"

There was an uncomfortable pause before Mi Nyu looked away and said, "Well, I think that maybe I wasn't meant to go. I sort of…lost my ticket."

Another memory came to him, at first fuzzy and vague like bad TV static, but now bursting with bright colors and great detail; it appeared to him so suddenly he gasped. "That nun…Jeremy, Tae Kyung and I were looking for a nun at the airport…she lost her ticket…she kept running away—that was you?"

Without looking at him, she nodded. She was surprised when she heard him start laughing. She turned and raised her eyebrows in question.

It took a while before he could calm himself enough to answer. "I always…I always wondered…about that nun," he explained between breaths. Was it her or was his smile brighter than usual? "But knowing that…that it was you—" He laughed again, not unkindly. "Well, at least now I know why that nun was running away. Were you scared we'd recognize you?"

She nodded, smiling. His good humor was contagious. "Yes. And since I couldn't get my ticket back, obviously I couldn't go to Rome." She sighed, almost sadly. "I was upset, but losing the ticket did give me a chance to think about what I needed—_wanted_, to do next."

"Couldn't you go back to the convent?"

"Probably. But then again…" She paused. Shin Woo guessed by the furrow of her brows that she was remembering something, pleasant or not he couldn't tell. Not wanting to interrupt, he patiently waited until she spoke again. "Truthfully, I was having some doubts about becoming a nun. I wanted to for so long but…but…" She paused again to take a deep breath before continuing. "One of the reasons my brother wanted to become famous, the reason he trained for so long and then joined A. , was so he could find our mom. If she heard about him, maybe she'd recognize him and find him. If I didn't say yes, if I hadn't gone back to Manager Ma and told him I'd do it, then my brother's dream, all his hard work, would be a waste, and we'd lose the chance to find her. When I watched my flight take off, I started thinking about it. And I decided I'd do it. For my brother and my mom. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, especially since I knew I would be living here, but I thought it would be worth it if we could just find our mom."

Shin Woo took in all this information, turning it over his head, before saying, "I think…that's incredible, and very brave." Mi Nyu looked at him, shocked.

"Huh?"

"You decided to do this for your brother, so that all that he ever worked for wouldn't be wasted, and also to find your mother. And you agreed, knowing there would always be a risk to someone finding out about you. That's the bravest and nicest thing I ever heard anyone do for their family."

Mi Nyu blushed, feeling something warm and fluttery swirling in her chest and stomach at his words. She felt her heart beginning to beat faster in her chest, just the same as earlier when she was with Tae Kyung-sshi. She wondered if maybe she was coming down with the flu or something.

"Mi Nyu?"

She jumped and noticed Shin Woo looking at her. What were they talking about? "Mi Nyu, are you okay?"

"Y-y-y-yes," she said, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Um…well, thank you…for the compliment," she said quickly. _Why was she blushing? And why couldn't she look at Shin Woo-hyung?_

Trying to search for answers, she almost didn't hear Shin Woo's next question. "Does anyone else besides Manager Ma know about this?"

"Yes," she said, secretly glad to have a reason not to think about the other thing right now. "Noona Wang knows, because Manager Ma told her. And Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi knows, too."

At the sound of his bandmate's name, Shin Woo almost scowled. But this gave him an opening into talking about the one thing he wanted answers to more than anything else. "Why did you tell Tae Kyung your secret?" he asked, hopefully his voice wouldn't betray any jealousy. "I mean, no offense, but that seems like an odd choice. Weren't you afraid he would out you to President Ahn or the press?"

"I didn't tell him," Mi Nyu said, shaking her head. "He…well, Tae Kyung-sshi sort of…_overheard_ a conversation I had with Noona Wang. And he recorded it. He _did_ want to use it to kick me out of the band."

_That definitely sounds like Tae Kyung_, Shin Woo thought. He wasn't that surprised; after all, it would be just like Tae Kyung to use this information to get Mi Nam (or Mi Nyu) to quit the band_. But she's still here_, Shin Woo thought. What changed Tae Kyung's mind? The man gave the terms _stubbornness_ and _merciless_ a whole new meaning. Why didn't he tell?

"He wanted me to do it myself," Mi Nyu answered. Shin Woo blinked before realizing, to his mortification and horror, that he must've said some, if not all, of his thoughts out loud, but how much? He couldn't ponder because Mi Nyu started speaking again. She explained in a sad tone of what happened when Tae Kyung revealed that not only did he know her secret, but had a recorded video as proof. She explained of her attempts to delete the video by snatching the phone (much to his amusement) and how through unforeseen circumstances, she was riding on the back of a delivery truck (to both of their horror), only to be saved by Tae Kyung (which made her smile and him feel half-grateful, half-jealous). "And I tried thanking him afterwards, especially since he was all sweaty and bleeding," she said gloomily. "But he got mad instead. Said I was an 'accident zone' and it was dangerous being around me. I _did_ try promising not to be a bother anymore."

"How?"

She bowed her head. "I thought…maybe it was best I leave."

"Leave? You were going to _leave_? So as not to be a bother to Tae Kyung?"

Mi Nyu nodded, secretly glad that Shin Woo wasn't yelling; she didn't realize that he would've been yelling but shock had him sounding confused and curious instead. "I really didn't want to be a bother, especially since he saved me," she said. "And he got hurt doing so. And considering everything else that happened before…well, maybe it was better for him that I wasn't around so much."

"But what about your mother, and your brother?"

She bowed her head, trying not to flinch. Now he was sounding angry. "I…I didn't know what else I could do. I really was a bother, and Tae Kyung still had that video. If I didn't do it, he would've. I thought it would be better if I did it."

Shin Woo forced himself to calm down. _She's still here_, he reminded himself. _Tae Kyung hasn't said a word to anyone_. Meaning there was no reason to be angry or yell. He took in a few deep breaths. "So," he said, controlling his temper, "I'm guessing you didn't tell, otherwise you wouldn't be here."

She shook her head. "No. I didn't get a chance to. I…" She hesitated, wondering if she should, before getting up and walking over to her truck. She rummaged for a little, looking under the sheets and clothes, and then she returned to the makeshift bed next to Shin Woo, who was looking confused at the picture she was handing him. He stared for a minute at the picture of a father with two kids, already knowing who they were even before Mi Nyu explained. "That's me," she said, pointing to the girl. Then she pointed to the boy next to her. "That's my brother, Go Mi Nam." And then her finger was on the man. "And that's my father. My aunt…she sent this picture to me. I got it the day I went to talk to President Ahn. For a moment, I thought…I thought…" She broke off and tears appeared in her eyes.

For a moment he thought of grabbing her hand and holding it, but his confidence wavered at the last minute and so he simply laid his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it comfortably. He knew what she was going to say, and he wasn't going to force her to say it. She must've believed it was her mother, and that was why she stayed.

He remembered those few weeks when the fangirls hated Go Mi Nam, repeatedly demanding his removal from the group, yelling insults, posting hateful blogs, standing out all day in protest. And as if things couldn't be more difficult, she had to deal with all this while training for a concert with (he now realizes) no previous experience or knowledge in dancing, singing or music in general.

And the only reason she pushed through it was for her brother and the vague hope of finding her long-lost mother.

He, never before, realized that a girl like Mi Nyu exists in the world.

"I'm glad you stayed," he said.

"I'm glad too." She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at him. "And I'm really glad Tae Kyung allowed it."

"That reminds me, what did you do exactly to get Tae Kyung to agree to keep quiet?" Of all the questions he had, this was among the few he really wanted to have answers to.

Mi Nyu tried her best to recall all the details of that day she went to Tae Kyung: She quickly explained about the ring and its importance to her; and of her quarrel with Tae Kyung involving her belief in finding her mother. When she mentioned Tae Kyung throwing the ring away into the fountain, Shin Woo scowled; he had a faint idea of what happened, and sure enough, he was right: Mi Nyu spent the whole night looking for the ring in the fountain, when the truth was that Tae Kyung had it all along.

"At least he didn't really throw it away," she said, seeing his frown.

_Small consolation_, he thought, but he bit back the urge to say the words out loud. "So when he saw you stayed there the whole night looking, that's when he began believing you?" She nodded. "And it's the reason he let you stay?"

"I told him to let me stay, so I could find my mom," she said. "I promised that until I found her, I'd do my best as Mi Nam, and I wouldn't bother him or expect any help." Tears formed again in her eyes but she pushed them back. "Well, I didn't find my mom but I did get to meet my Aunt. I think that's just as good, right?"

Smiling, grateful she wasn't crying again, he nodded. "Yeah, that's good." He frowned suddenly as another memory came to him. "Can I ask…what about what happened at the pool, that time Tae Kyung almost drowned? Did he really fall in?"

Mi Nyu bit her lip and shook her head. "No. He didn't."

When she didn't say any more, he asked, "He was helping you, wasn't he?" She nodded. He thought about it before guessing again. "Were you the one who fell in the pool first?"

She hung her head and nodded. "Yeah. It was my fault. I was changing clothes by the pool, but when I heard people approaching…well, I had nowhere to hide except in the pool."

Suddenly the pieces fell into place. He gasped. "Did you almost drown, just to keep your secret? Were you really willing to go that far?"

Mi Nyu tried not flinching at his tone; he sounded angry again. "I didn't want to get caught," she said, almost stubbornly.

"Was it really going to be worth your life?"

"For my brother and mom, I thought so, yes," she said.

Before he could decide whether he found this dedication frightening or admirable, she said, "Tae Kyung saved me, but he almost drowned. He knows why I did what I did, and even though he said he didn't want to get involved, he still chose to help me. I broke my promises to him, but he still never told anyone my secret. For that I'll always be grateful to him."

Shin Woo scowled, but for a different reason now (although he couldn't be fully annoyed; he was glad that Tae Kyung stepped in when it mattered most).

Mi Nyu saw his scowl. She wondered if he was still angry about the pool incident; if yes, then she could hardly blame him, it was careless of her to do what she did. But she couldn't truly regret the decision, especially since she didn't actually drown. Still, if he wanted to yell, she wouldn't blame him or attempt to stop him. She only hoped that he wouldn't yell so loudly that the others would wake.

However, after a few minutes it became clear he wasn't going to yell, that his anger was fading. Relieved, she smiled and said, "Well, that's just about everything. Unless," she add quickly, "You have any other questions?"

Anger abated, he thought carefully before he spoke. "Why did you want to become a nun?" She cocked her head in confusion. "I mean, you said you really wanted to take your Final Vows. Why?"

Mi Nyu looked away to the window, thinking of how to respond. "You don't have to say if you don't want to," Shin Woo said after a moments' silence. "I just wondered. You would've made a good Sister," he added, in case she was offended. At his words, she laughed.

"My brother said the same thing once," she explained when she saw his expression. "He was shocked when I first told him. And when he realized I was serious, he said what you said." She brought her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and laid her chin on her forearms. "Honestly, I think my brother knew the reason…the real reason, I wanted to be a nun."

His curiosity grew. "What did you tell him exactly?"

"I said I truly wanted to spend the rest of my life serving Him," she said. Her eyes grew slightly sad suddenly. "And that was the truth, at least part of it was. But there was another reason."

She hesitated, realizing at that moment that she was about to tell one of her bigger, more personal secrets to someone besides her beloved brother and Mother Superior, something she had never done before, not even with her school friends. But she remembered all the secrets he shared with her, and so she pushed those fears to continue.

"You see, I never knew my mother. My dad died when my brother and I were really young, and I only just got reunited with my Aunt. For a long time, my only family was my brother. And that was alright with me, 'cause Mi Nam is the greatest big brother I could've ever asked for. But I knew his dream was to become a famous singer, and he always talked of leaving the orphanage to pursue that dream, and of course I was really happy for him because I knew he could do it. But…I was sad too. I felt…I felt like he was leaving me too, so now I would truly be alone."

Again he reached to grab her hand, but again his confidence wavered, so he merely patted it. "I'm sure your brother didn't mean that," he said. "Why didn't you go with him? I'm sure he wouldn't have minded."

She shook her head. "No. I couldn't go, though Mi Nam did offer it many times." She sighed. "He said that becoming a singer wasn't the easiest thing to accomplish. It would be hard enough to make a living when it's just by himself. I didn't want him to have to worry about providing for me, too. And when it came time for him to leave, I had already decided I would train to be a nun."

"How'd you decide that?"

She frowned. "Well, you see, I was a bit depressed every time I heard him talk of leaving. I was able to hide it sometimes. But when it got too much I just start walking the grounds of the Church and orphanage, trying to forget. One day, when I was wandering, I found the Mother Superior talking with a member of the church. The woman she was talking to, she had no family, few friends, and she felt as alone as I did. The Mother Superior said that as long as she prayed to G-d, and served Him, she was never truly alone. When I heard that, I felt that if I became a Sister, then I would never feel abandoned again." She unconsciously began twirling strands of her brown hair around her finger, another nervous habit she was never able to control. "I think Mi Nam knew. I never told him, or the Mother Superior for that matter. You're the only one I told, but I think Mi Nam and the Mother Superior both knew why I chose to do it."

There was a long stretch of silence after this. Mi Nyu looked over to find Shin Woo staring out the window to the night sky. Though his eyes were glancing at the stars and moon, something about his expression was distant, as if he could see something beyond them, what she couldn't guess. Feeling that whatever he was thinking about was personal, she didn't bother calling back his attention and instead started settling comfortably against the pillows.

"What happens next?"

He spoke so suddenly, she jumped. "W-w-w-what?"

He scratched his head, not looking at her and said, "I mean…well, you said…one month…and after that…" He stopped, took in a deep breath and started again, his voice nonchalant (at least that's how he hoped he sounded), "You said you were going to pretend to be your brother, at least until he comes back. And that's great and all, I'm looking forward to meeting him, but…but when he comes back, what are you going to do?"

She opened her mouth to answer, realized she didn't have one, and then closed her mouth. The thought had never occurred to her. As simple a question it was, she found it difficult to respond to. As soon as her brother returned, what would she do? She knew she could never be allowed to stay, but what then? Going back to the convent wasn't an option, but she had no other place to go…

"You can probably stay," Shin Woo said, breaking her reverie. "Here, I mean." At her raised eyebrows, he continued, "I'm sure President Ahn wouldn't mind. If we can explain the situation, if everyone—including Tae Kyung—agrees to it, I don't see why you would have to leave at all."

She smiled, albeit sadly. "I would like to stay," she said. "But…I'm not sure if I'll be allowed. And even if I could," she quickly added, seeing he was about to interrupt, "I wonder what I should do to earn my keep. I mean, I have to do _something_."

"You mean a job?" Shin Woo was almost incredulous. He wondered if he dare tell her she didn't have to "earn her keep," that staying at the dorm meant she wouldn't _have_ to worry about it at all. But she wouldn't listen if he did say so. He knows she won't. She certainly doesn't seem the type to lie back and do nothing when she could help. Another amazing thing about her, considering that any other girl would take advantage of the offer, she's wondering what she can do to "earn her keep."

Mi Nyu didn't take notice of his awe, too focused on what she needed to do when the time came for her to leave. If she could stay (and it was a big _if_), what could she do? Cleaning? Cooking? Care for Jolie while Jeremy was away? Would it be enough, or would she need to get a job? _Maybe_, she realized, and the prospect was almost frightening, but also, to her astonishment, exciting. For so long she wanted to be a nun, and had never contemplated the idea of anything else, did not bother imagining life beyond the Church. But now…now she wondered about all the possible choices before her. She again thought about everything she had seen, learned and experienced since coming to the city, and everything else she hadn't, and suddenly the world she knew grew so much larger.

She took another moment contemplating those choices before shrugging. "When the time comes for it, I'll worry about it then. For now, I'll just try to enjoy my time here." She smiled. "Thank you again, for understanding. And for keeping my secret for so long."

"It was no trouble," he said, smiling back. "And thank you for explaining. You were right, your story was very long." He hesitated before saying," Can I ask one more question?" She nodded. "Can I ask…why did you choose me to room with?"

She cocked her head in confusion.

"I knew your secret, but you didn't know I knew," he explained. "So earlier, when President Ahn asked you who you wanted to stay with, I was expecting you to choose Tae Kyung, since he knew you were a girl and all. Not that I mind sharing my room, but I was…well, I was surprised that you chose me. And I think everyone else was too."

Mi Nyu fiddled with a loose string on the blanket, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "Well, honestly I did think about choosing Tae Kyung, but…well, you see, I kind of promised him I wouldn't bother him anymore. And also, even if I did, I know he wouldn't accept it without a fight." Shin Woo fought back a frown at her hurt tone. "So I had to choose you or Jeremy. Jeremy's nice but…well, he looked scared and I don't think he would like it any more than Tae Kyung." Now Shin Woo was fighting back a laugh, remembering Jeremy's expression from earlier. "So you were my only choice. But I didn't mind. I was scared 'cause, like you said, I didn't know you knew, but of the three you were the best. And I'm really glad I did choose you in the end," she said, smiling.

There it was again, that fluttery feeling in his stomach. And he felt his cheeks burning, which was not a normal occurrence.

Mi Nyu, blushing herself, was not looking at him and so didn't notice that he was wearing a similar embarrassed expression as her.

"Well, I guess since you told me everything, we can finally go to bed," he said, when he was sure that his blush ceased. "And don't worry. I won't say a word. I'll even help if you need it."

His words caused her to blush harder than before. "Thank you," she said. Why was she suddenly feeling shy? Why couldn't she look at him? Why, oh why was the room burning up? Maybe they needed to turn off the heater, although she can't remember him ever turning it on…or maybe he did and she just didn't notice?

Not liking the direction in her thoughts, she tried pushing those thoughts away by lying down and keeping her eyes focused on the ceiling, imagining there were patterns in the plaster, trying not to think about the five feet of space separating her from her friend…who was a guy…a very good, decent, handsome guy….who knew she was a girl…Damn, the room got warmer!

She fought the urge to squirm, lost miserably, and then got curious when she felt something weighing down the pocket of her sweatshirt. She almost gasped out loud when she remembered…that strange device Manager Ma gave her! The one for emergencies, she almost forgotten about it!

Guilt tightened her throat. She had promised Manager Ma she would keep it with her, but to use against Shin Woo? She got up suddenly, startling Shin Woo, who watched her cross the room to her chest. From his point of view, he saw her open it and close it. When she returned, before he could ask she said, "I just needed to put something away."

Curious, but having an instinctive feeling he didn't want to know _what_ it was she put away, he just nodded. He settled back against his pillows, again looking out the window, wondering if Mi Nyu was as uncomfortable as he was. The five feet separating them suddenly didn't seem large enough. Could he scoot away without her noticing, or would she take offense? What if he explained his discomfort? She'd probably be hurt…or worse, she'd feel embarrassed and awkward, because she would realize exactly _why_ he felt that way, _why_ he wanted to put as much distance between them as possible and he didn't want to broach _that_ topic. Sooner or later, he knew the subject will come up, but now wasn't the time or place and he knew _he_ certainly wasn't going to be the one to start that conversation, especially not since Mi Nyu was sharing his room. No, it certainly was not going to be him.

He jumped when he heard her voice.

"Shin Woo-hyung? Are you still awake?"

"Yeah, I am." He hoped she didn't notice the difference in his tone, that the huskiness that crept in there could be attributed to sleepiness.

She didn't. "Can I ask you something? Something serious?"

He nodded. "Sure, what is it?"

Mi Nyu hesitated before asking, "Do you think…do you think that maybe, just maybe, I can tell Jeremy the truth? About me, I mean."

Whatever his previous concerns and thoughts and feelings, they were blown away at her words. Turning his head, he looked at her, stunned. "Huh? You want to tell him?"

She half-shrugged. "Well, sort of." She looked at him, felt her cheeks darken when their eyes made contact and looked away quickly.

"Why though? Jeremy's a good friend and our band mate, but…but I thought you didn't want anyone else to know."

She frowned. "I don't want anyone to find out my secret. If the wrong person knows, that would be really, really bad. But…but I just wonder if Jeremy should know. I mean, you know, and so does Tae Kyung, Noona Wang and Manager Ma. He's the only one left...well, him and Auntie. I'll decide later if I want her to know, but for now I'm wondering about Jeremy. I don't want to keep lying to him. That's one of the greatest things about you knowing the truth: I don't have to lie to you anymore."

"So…you want to tell him?"

"I just want to know…tell me the truth, do you think I can trust him like I trust you and Tae Kyung-sshi?"

Hearing her say out loud that she trusts him made him smile, though Mi Nyu didn't see as she was keeping her eyes firmly on the ceiling, patiently waiting his answer. He thought about it before answering, "I can say, with a great deal of confidence, that Jeremy would never do anything to hurt anyone, especially not a fellow band mate and friend. If you want to tell him, to trust him, that's your choice, I won't force you to tell him if you don't want to. I can say honestly, though, that he's not the type to betray a friend's confidence."

She nodded. "Maybe…maybe I will. I'll think about it more fully in the morning." She turned and smiled. "Thanks."

He nodded, half-paying attention, again noticing her eyes. Maybe it was the lights from the stars and moon…or maybe it was something else, but her eyes seemed especially bright.

For a brief moment, they held each other's gaze, before she blinked and broke contact, and looked away, again feeling that uncomfortable warmth in the air. A strange thumping noise resonated in her ears. She wondered if someone was awake, walking the halls or in their room, not realizing how noisy they were being, before discovering that the thumping noise was her heartbeat. She peeked out of the corner of her eye, hoping against hope that Shin Woo couldn't hear it.

His back was to her. He was already asleep. She let out a sigh of relief, turned her back on him, closed her eyes and waited for sleep to claim her.

Shin Woo wasn't asleep. He was staring ahead, thinking over everything he had learned, piecing together every strange occurrence that had happened in the weeks since Mi Nyu's arrival and trying to figure out how to feel about it. He knew what most of his feelings were, but others he couldn't decipher as quickly. There was still so much that he wanted to ask, to know…and Mi Nyu was more interesting than he first thought. Most of the questions he wanted to ask were answered without her even realizing or him prodding; he was right about her. She was different from every girl he has ever known or met.

He thought of Tae Kyung. He frowned, but then smiled. At least now, they were both in the same boat.

At least until tomorrow, when she decides to tell Jeremy (and he has a feeling she will tell). Then he'll another rival to deal with.

**A/N: Sorry, this chapter took longer than I thought. Hopefully, it was worth it. :) Reviews and comments always welcoming, and I can promise to try to get the next chapter updated faster than this. Key word: try.**


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